Car theft in Curacao

[Diver Lori]

I heard an interesting tidbit the other day and was wondering if any one had similar knowledge.

I've been told that crime on Bonaire is high with regards to breaking into your car at dive sites, etc. This is a given from all the various reponses read on ScubaBoard and elsewhere. But, on the otherhand, I've been told in Curacao, they just steal the car....period. Hence the prices for rentals in Curacao being far more expensive than Bonaire.

Me thinks the Dutch police need to be a little more focused, or they are in on it. (I can say that, I'm of Dutch descent!! :blinking

 

[fisheyeview]

We were down there a little over a year ago for 10 days. We rented a truck and had it all over the island. We made sure we didn't leave anything in the truck (other than snacks & water botles) so as to not invite anyone to break in to it. We didn't have any problems.

 

[Just another Cinderella]

Been here for two years and have had no problems.
But nobody would want my truck.

Had a rental broken into on Bonaire.
Just use common sense were you park etc. Of course the same can be said for Wash. D.C.

 

[Bryan.]

I agree with SMB... I have been here for about 2 years and never had a problem.

There are places to avoid and at the end of the day, common sense has to come into play like not leaving something in the vehicle to invite that element. Just like anywhere else.

As for rentals, I actually found renting a local car from Noordstar was less expensive than the truck I rented in Bonaire. Maybe having something to do with Budget vs. Noordstar??

Anyways, hope this helps!!

Safe Diving,
Bryan

 

[Just another Cinderella]

Hey Bryan, you're not working either today?

Everybody when you come to Curacao just dive with Bryan and you won't need a car!!!!

 

[rjchandler]

Now Lori --don't feed the trolls

are there dutch police on Curacao? I thought the force was local?

 

[jd950]

I don't want to get into the whole crime in Bonaire type of discussion at the moment, but I thought it was interesting that on Bonaire the advice is always to leave truck unlocked and windows down. On Curacao the advice I got was lock the truck, but of course leave nothing of value inside.

Generally, I get the feeling that vehicle theft is a bigger issue on Curacao than Bonaire. Bigger population? More chop shops? Proximity to the mainland? Wealthier criminals?

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

It is always amazing to me that these boards are filled with posts about crime in the islands posted by people who live in big US cities. The urban/suburban crime rates in the US usually dwarf those in Caribbean destinations yet we obsess about non-violent theft in the Caribbean as if we had never experienced it in our sheltered utopian existence here in the States. Gimme a break! Crime is like lightening:
1. Sometimes it happens for no discernible reason;
2. There are things you can do to avoid it (i.e.:don't be an idiot!); and
3. Its really not something to lose sleep over.

 

[Diver Lori]

It is always amazing to me that these boards are filled with posts about crime in the islands posted by people who live in big US cities. The urban/suburban crime rates in the US usually dwarf those in Caribbean destinations yet we obsess about non-violent theft in the Caribbean as if we had never experienced it in our sheltered utopian existence here in the States. Gimme a break! Crime is like lightening:
1. Sometimes it happens for no discernible reason;
2. There are things you can do to avoid it (i.e.:don't be an idiot!); and
3. Its really not something to lose sleep over.

Tim, I know your wisdom is all knowing, all seeing, but I was provided "this tidbit" by a travel agent that frequents the island.

 

[Just another Cinderella]

Lori I live here and nobody I know has had their car stolen. [Well a neighbor did have a jealous boyfriend set her car on fire.]
I also haven't heard of an epidemic of rental car thefts. Besides at some point wouldn't shipping cars or their chopped parts off an island [or selling same] eventually get noticed even by our local police or the Dutch Marines/CG?
There are places you wouldn't park in Cleveland.